Flamingos Arrive Abuja After Historic U-17 World Cup Triumph

Nigeria’s victorious Flamingos arrived in Abuja on Monday morning following their historic triumph at the 2026 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in Morocco.

The team made history on Saturday after defeating Japan 2-1 in the final to claim Nigeria’s first-ever title in the competition and become the first African nation to win the tournament.

Awawu Bashiru and Oluebube Umejiaku scored the goals that secured the historic victory for the Nigerian side.

The triumph capped an impressive campaign for the Flamingos, who also won the 2026 WAFU-B U-17 Girls Cup in Côte d’Ivoire with a perfect record of five victories from five matches, scoring 17 goals and conceding just once.

Head coach Hakeem Busari praised his players for their determination, discipline and resilience, describing their achievement as evidence of the progress being made in African women’s football.

Speaking after the final, Busari said the performances of African teams at the tournament demonstrated improvements in quality, character and competitiveness.

“What we are seeing now is not a fluke. It is about development, it is about character, and it is about fighting from the beginning to really get it right. So we are elated and happy,” he said.

The coach also explained that his technical crew carefully studied Japan’s style of play before the final, identifying their ability to win second balls and exploit spaces behind defensive lines as major threats.

He said the Flamingos adjusted their tactics to limit Japan’s attacking opportunities, describing the encounter as a tactical battle that required collective defending and discipline.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has congratulated the team on their historic achievement, describing the victory as a moment of national pride and a significant milestone for African women's football.

In a statement issued on Sunday by his spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu said he received the news of the victory after returning from campaign engagements in Akwa Ibom and Rivers states.

The President praised the players for their courage, determination and teamwork, noting that they had fulfilled their promise to bring the trophy home following their semi-final victory.

He also singled out Bashiru and Umejiaku for their decisive contributions while commending the coaching crew, Nigeria Football Federation and National Sports Commission for their roles in the achievement.

Tinubu said the victory would inspire millions of young Nigerian girls to pursue their dreams and demonstrate what could be achieved through hard work, determination and opportunity.

He further reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to grassroots sports development and creating more opportunities for young Nigerians, particularly girls, to discover and develop their talents.